La Niña Has Developed: Will The Rest Of Winter Feel Like Spring In RI?

RHODE ISLAND — It may feel more like spring than winter over the next three months in much of the country, including Rhode Island.

Meteorological spring starts March 1, and by then, slightly above temperatures may be common in Rhode Island, according to a new winter temperature outlook from The Weather Company and Atmospheric G2. Astronomical spring begins March 20 with the spring equinox.

The only places where winter is going to continue to feel like winter are in the Northwest and the Northern Plains, according to the outlook. The warmest temperatures during the three-month period are expected from Arizona to the Florida Panhandle, north into Arkansas and Georgia.

Overall, temperatures in Rhode Island from February to April should be slightly above average. Here’s what to expect by month:

February

There may be a slight warm-up in February, but the winter month may still have some tricks up its sleeve.

"Historically, cold Januaries are not followed by very warm Februaries," according to Todd Crawford, Vice President of Meteorology at Atmospheric G2.

March

Temperatures should be above average in Rhode Island and much of the United States. Expect plenty of mild days.

April

If the forecast holds, there shouldn't be any scraping ice off windshields by this point. There are reasons for optimism that the start of spring will give us some nice days.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said earlier this month that a weak La Niña that formed in December and its effects are likely to last through April.

Slightly below-average temperatures in parts of the northern U.S. and far-above-average temperatures in the Southwest are consistent with a La Niña pattern, according to the private weather company’s outlook for the next three months.

The forecast is good news for parts of the country with colder-than-normal temperatures and once-in-a-lifetime blizzard conditions and high snowfall totals during January. Temperatures overall in January are some of the coldest since 2014.

However, February notoriously offers surprises, according to Todd Crawford, vice president of meteorology at Atmospheric G2.

“Historically, cold Januaries are not followed by very warm Februaries,” Crawford said.

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